1. Field of the Invention
This invention is directed to a flexible footwear construction combining a system for massaging the feet and for providing shock absorption during walking.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Footwear construction has embodied many different construction characteristics with a view to providing support for the foot as well as cushion the foot in executing the usual walking motion. An example is seen in Hall U.S. Pat. No. 4,115,934 of Sep. 26, 1978 wherein a fluid filled inner sole has separate compartments to retain a certain amount of fluid in the heel as well as the ball of the foot for cushioning as the person's weight transfers from the heel to the ball in walking. A number of fluid insole devices have been proposed, such as in the Zona U.S. Pat. No. 4,567,677 of Feb. 4, 1986, or Thedford U.S. Pat No. 4,123,855 of Nov. 7, 1978, or Voorkees U.S. Pat. No. 3,990,457 of Nov. 9, 1976.
It is also known to provide a shoe with an insole having a resilient base placed inside the shoe so that a resilient heel piece can fit into a cut out in the base to form a shock absorber, and to apply a cushioning layer over the base to extend from the heel to underlie the toe area. Such a construction is disclosed in Marc U.S. Pat. No. 5,068,983 of Dec. 3, 1991.
These prior art constructions do not solve the problems of both cushioning the foot, attenuating the shock when the heel hits a solid walking surface, and also providing flexibility throughout the shoe in all walking situations.